Magneto-mechanical movement



Allg 15, 1950 K. PETERSON 2,518,635

MAGNETO--MECHANICAL MOVEMENT Filed March 24, 1948 Jig:

mmf/zeg.

Patented Aug. 15, 1950 MAGNETO-MECHANICAL MOVEMENT Kenneth Peterson, Manhattan, Kans., assignor of three-fourths to Arthur Lehto, Cudahy, Wis,

application March 24, 1948, Serial N o. 16,851

1 Claim. l

The invention relates to a mechanical movement and particularly to a mechanical movement in a magnetic field.

In resting magnetic elds there is no mechanical movement and a magnetic compass needle merely aligns itself in the north-south direction.

It is an object of the invention to produce a mechanical movement in a resting magnetic eld and particularly the geo-magnetic eld.

It is a further object to vary the rate of speed at which such movement takes place.

It is a further object to provide a plurality of permanet magnets in a carrier and out of alignment with the geo-magnetic field and utilizing the tendency toward alignment to produce a me chanical movement.

Other and equally important objects of the invention will become apparent from a disclosure of the invention which comprises the means described in the following specification, particularly pointed out in the claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a carrier provided with a plurality of permanent magnets.

Fig. 2 is a side view.

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of modification.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a top plan View of a vessel containing a fluid in which the magnet carrier is placed.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6--6 of Fig. 5, and

Fig. '7 is a section of a variant.

Referring to the several views of the drawing I designates a carrier or float constructed as an annular member made of cork or other suitable material and II designates a plurality of permanent magnets which are partly embedded in the carrier and protrude from the sides.

The protruding ends of the magnets have the same polarity and likewise the inner ends have like polarity. Preferably the outer ends of the magnets have north polarity, whereas the inner ends have south polarity.

The carrier I 4 shown in Figs. 3 and 4 has also a plurality of permanent magnets I which, however, are slantingly arranged and partly inserted in the carrier or float. The free ends have north polarity, whereas the inner ends have south polarity.

A vessel I6 made of non-magnetic material is partly lled with a iluid and placed on a shield I1 of de-magnetized ferrous metal.

While a precise scientific explanation for the phenomenon has not been formulated, it is believed that upon placing the float in the vessel it is exposed to the influence of the horizontal geo-magnetic eld in a degree different from that of the influence of the vertical geo-magnetic eld by reason of the provision of the shield II, so that there is a resultant force upon the iloat tending to make it travel in a substantially linear path of north-south direction.

Thus the exposed ends of the permanent magnets II being subjected to the attraction and repulsion of the horizontal magnetic eld, the float will execute a movement from one side of the vessel to the other until arrested by the wall of the Vessel.

It is evident that the movement will be from north to south since the exposed magnet ends have north polarity and will thus proceed toward the south polarity.

The rate of movement is rather slow and was experimentally determined as being five feet per minute.

When the float I4 is placed in the vessel the angularly arranged magnets are out of alignment with the geo-magnetic elds. Magnets in conformity to magnetic action align themselves with other magnets.

The angularly arranged magnets being rigidly secured cannot align themselves with the geomagnetic eld but are attracted by the opposite pole of the magnetic eld resulting in the movement of the float.

The rate of movement of the float with angularly arranged magnets has been established as being approximately 30 to 40 feet per minute.

As shown in Fig. 7 the vessel does not necessarily have to be placed on the shield but may be supported thereon.

To this end the vessel has secured to its bottom angle irons I8 and the shield has angle irons I9.

The vertical legs of angle irons I8 and I9 are provided with slots 20 through which extend a screw 2I.

Thus the distance of the vessel over the shield may be varied in accordance with results desired.

If desired the shield may be placed above the vessel to overcome the vertical components of the magnetic eld. y

The movement produced can be utilized for many purposes such as producing an electric current in a coil of wire placed inductively along the path of movement of a. float so that the moving ilux will cut the turns of the coil or for the propulsion of toy boats.

I claim:

A magneto-mechanical movement comprising a vessel of non-magnetic material containing a liquid, a non-magnetized magnetic shield posi- REFERENCES CITED tioned in a horizontal plane above or below the The following references are of record m the surface of said liquid, a non-magnetic otation me of this patent: body in said liquid, and means movable with said Abody for maintaining a magnetic flux at the ends 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS of a. plurality of axes approximately normal to Number Name Date the horizontal and arranged about a center inl 555,181 Prentice Feb. 25, 1896 said body with like polarities at the correspond- 1,595,801 McDonald Aug. 10, 1926 ingly opposite ends-'of said axes.

KENNETH PETERSON. 10 

